Nationwide protests broke out on Friday, Jan. 27 after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that banned nationals from seven countries from coming to the United States for the next 90 days. 

Protests sparked in-part to the fact that those seven listed were Muslim-majority countries. 

It only took four days after the signing of this executive order for protesters to come together in Ashland, Ohio to protest this immigration ban. 

Close to 150 people, a majority of which were against the immigration ban, came together on the intersection of Claremont Ave., King Rd., and College Ave., and protested the ban. 

Those in attendance ranged from AU students, professors, children, and community members.

One of the event’s organizers and former assistant director of Ashland’s Center for Nonviolence, Sara Garska said she was shocked and pleased by the turnout. 

“I was just hoping I was not going to be standing here alone holding my little sign that says ‘love your neighbors as yourself,’” Garska said. “I made an event [on Facebook] and I made it private because it was just for a couple of friends and there is close to 100 people here.”

Garska decided that her and some of her friends would protest after hearing about the shooting at the mosque in Quebec and the mosque that recently burned down in Texas.

“I felt that if I were an immigrant I would feel like this is a very hostile environment and I would want to know that there are people in my community who support me and who are welcoming and that this is a safe place for them to be,” Garska said.

Many other protesters stood beside Garska chanting and waving signs.

“I was protesting today because the group I’m a part of, the Ashland Center for Nonviolence believes that this band on immigration is not going to promote peace in the Middle East as some would say,” protester William Summers said. “It is not the way to go about finding a good, nonviolent solution to the problem of Jihadists and extremist Muslims from these countries coming to America.”

Those against Trump’s actions stood dominantly in-between King Rd. and Claremont Ave., although across the street in front of Andrews Hall stood a handful of protesters holding Trump signs showing their support for the newly inaugurated President.

The protests remained peaceful and no violence broke out.